CLA will support Environment Agency’s work on clearing water courses once it resumes
The Environment Agency has issued a ‘Health and Safety stop notice’ which would see a temporary pause on work to remove obstructions from watercourses.The ‘stop notice’ will be in place until such time as checks can be made to ensure it is safe to undertake maintenance of all flood infrastructure such as clearing water courses and repairing river banks
The restriction is on people entering the water to deal with unplanned maintenance/blockage removal. Works at pumping stations, outfalls, trash screens etc will continue along with any planned routine channel maintenance including de-weeding and grass mowing.
Blockages will still be investigated and if they pose a flood risk and it is safe to do, they will be removed by either Environment Agency staff or their contractors with extra precautions in place.
The CLA will continue to work with the Environment Agency to monitor and support repair and maintenance of flood infrastructure, both in the north region and nationally, and will continue to emphasise the need for proper funding of this essential work.
CLA North Rural Surveyor Robert Frewen said: “Whilst we don’t expect this temporary suspension of work to lead to significant impacts, we will continue to work with the EA to support their work in clearing watercourses, especially where it could prevent localised flooding in areas where flooding incidents are more prevalent.”